Boston TV crisis: WHDH and WNEU

[A3N 996]

Realistically, how long will Ed continue to pour money into WHDH after it becomes an independent? The revenues coming in right now will not be the same when they lose the NBC affiliation and without any sports on his channel...

 

Also, I'm sure NBC/Comcast is viewing NBC Boston as a long term project and they probably understand that things are going to be rough for the first few years.

[Eat News 4738]

Indys can do just fine sans network love. it's just a different way of thinking as far as sales and programming.

Some things become a lot easier without network demands and constraints.

 

The networks have become arrogant...I hope Ed prevails just for revenge.

[brianpr3 175]

nbc should just pay ed to go away

[CircleSeven 1945]

Harry Jessell of TVNewsCheck recently interviewed Ansin over his legal fight to keep NBC on WHDH.

[mardek1995 200]

Indys can do just fine sans network love. it's just a different way of thinking as far as sales and programming.

Some things become a lot easier without network demands and constraints.

 

The networks have become arrogant...I hope Ed prevails just for revenge.

 

nbc should just pay ed to go away

Or at least offer to buy WLVI from Ed.

[TVNewsLover 730]

Harry Jessell of TVNewsCheck recently interviewed Ansin over his legal fight to keep NBC on WHDH.

Interesting side note: Article also mentions that WSVN's affiliation with FOX expires this year.

[scrabbleship 427]

Or at least offer to buy WLVI from Ed.

 

The syndicated programming between both stations is so sparse that you could consolidate most of both stations into one.

 

Less cashing out there is no outcome where Ed wins. As opposed to KTVK, KRON, WJXT, and WISH there is not much to get people there beyond the news and Ed has never been one to spend.

[TheRolyPoly 1847]

Interesting side note: Article also mentions that WSVN's affiliation with FOX expires this year.

 

Prediction:

WHDH moves away from NBC and goes Independent, like what most people are saying as the best possible scenario.

WSVN renews its agreement with FOX and remains one of FOX's strongest affiliates.

[TexasTVNews 1367]

I still have hope for WHDH to keep the NBC affiliation; I know it's way off, but I would wish WHDH be NBC O&O. That's my opinion.

[johnothy 43]

Yes it would be nice if WHDH became and NBC O&O and revamped as NBC Boston and changed the logo and ditched the tabloid news format. Why can't NBC just offer a reasonable amount for the station and resolve this? Otherwise WHDH will just add a bunch more newscasts and with the NBC Boston newscast, the market will have gained nothing but another news outlet when stations already have enough news and four stations already providing news to the market is enough. In Indianapolis with the change from WISH to WTTV for CBS, the amount of news on five stations is ridiculous.

[TSSZNews 1047]

Interesting side note: Article also mentions that WSVN's affiliation with FOX expires this year.

 

Unless the Dolphins flip to the NFC, there's no way FOX will angle for WSVN. Unless they think they can make a ton of bank.

[rkolsen 1680]

The thing is Ed Ansin's asking price IMO is way over inflated. I think if they sold it it would be in the hundreds of millions but certainly not the price of the station of $500-600 million with their current affiliation. Ed seems to be basing the price off of the opening bids for a station in Boston but those are just the max prices and as each round progresses the prices will get lower and lower. I don't have the articles handy but TVNewsCheck reported earlier that the wireless companies aren't going to be buying that much spectrum in the auction.

[swillh2k2 203]

Why can't NBC just offer a reasonable amount for the station and resolve this?

 

But from a relative standpoint, that depends on what Ansin feels is "reasonable" in his eyes.

[TVNewsLover 730]

Unless the Dolphins flip to the NFC, there's no way FOX will angle for WSVN. Unless they think they can make a ton of bank.

The thing is Ed Ansin's asking price IMO is way over inflated. I think if they sold it it would be in the hundreds of millions but certainly not the price of the station of $500-600 million with their current affiliation. Ed seems to be basing the price off of the opening bids for a station in Boston but those are just the max prices and as each round progresses the prices will get lower and lower. I don't have the articles handy but TVNewsCheck reported earlier that the wireless companies aren't going to be buying that much spectrum in the auction.

The thing, usually asking prices are purposely more than what seller is expecting. It's a good negotiating tactic to make it higher than what you really want and are okay with.

[mre29 1362]

Yes it would be nice if WHDH became and NBC O&O and revamped as NBC Boston and changed the logo and ditched the tabloid news format.

 

Don't mind me. I just wanted to emphasize the most important change that needs to be made.

[A3N 996]

So according to Ed in his interview with TVNewsCheck, he said that there is a quiet period right now. So does this effectively kill any chance of NBC buying WHDH or can they still make a deal to acquire the station?

[rkolsen 1680]

The thing, usually asking prices are purposely more than what seller is expecting. It's a good negotiating tactic to make it higher than what you really want and are okay with.

Still it's an exuberant price.

[elfuego35 89]

So according to Ed in his interview with TVNewsCheck, he said that there is a quiet period right now. So does this effectively kill any chance of NBC buying WHDH or can they still make a deal to acquire the station?

 

If there is a quiet period, then how did the Gray-Shurz deal get approved, or why is the FCC letting Nexstar-Media General go through the proper process? Both deals were announced within the last year, with Nexstar-Media General in particular announced AFTER the auction prices were released.

 

Edit: rkoslson's link in the post (#494) below answered my question, as long as the negotiations don't include bidding strategies, Acquisitions are still permitted.

 

Still it's an exuberant price.

 

Considering all NBC really wants, according to Ansin, is the WHDH license, and none of the other assets, than the price Ansin is asking is way too much.

[rkolsen 1680]

So according to Ed in his interview with TVNewsCheck, he said that there is a quiet period right now. So does this effectively kill any chance of NBC buying WHDH or can they still make a deal to acquire the station?

They would be able to purchase the station but it will have to be after the quiet period which would likely last several months.

 

http://www.broadcastlawblog.com/2015/10/articles/fcc-issues-clarification-of-incentive-auction-quiet-period-how-will-it-affect-television-station-sales-and-what-other-restrictions-are-imposed-on-broadcasters-communications-about-the-auc/

[johnothy 43]

All Boston will gain from this is yet another station with too many newscasts and a different outlet for NBC programming. I don't care for NBC's branding of their stations "NBC Boston", "NBC Bay Area". To most viewers no matter what in the Bay Area its still NBC 11 and in Chicago its still NBC 5 not NBC Chicago.

[24994J 5330]

...in Chicago its still NBC 5 not NBC Chicago.

Still is. Never formally made the change.

[mre29 1362]

All Boston will gain from this is yet another station with too many newscasts and a different outlet for NBC programming. I don't care for NBC's branding of their stations "NBC Boston", "NBC Bay Area". To most viewers no matter what in the Bay Area its still NBC 11 and in Chicago its still NBC 5 not NBC Chicago.

 

So, NBC 60, then?

[PAnderson1 27]

All Boston will gain from this is yet another station with too many newscasts and a different outlet for NBC programming. I don't care for NBC's branding of their stations "NBC Boston", "NBC Bay Area". To most viewers no matter what in the Bay Area its still NBC 11 and in Chicago its still NBC 5 not NBC Chicago.

You forgot NBC Connecticut as it will still be known as NBC 30.

[A3N 996]

All Boston will gain from this is yet another station with too many newscasts and a different outlet for NBC programming. I don't care for NBC's branding of their stations "NBC Boston", "NBC Bay Area". To most viewers no matter what in the Bay Area its still NBC 11 and in Chicago its still NBC 5 not NBC Chicago.

I believe that NBC is in the Bay Area is on different channels, depending on the cable/sat providers- hence NBC Bay Area

 

NBC 60--Boston

NBC 30-- Connecticut

NBC 39-- San Diego

Doesn't sound as sexy. With the exception of KNSD (which used NBC San Diego for about 6 months), they're the only one that ended up branding with their cable channel- then again, it's on channel 7 on every cable/sat system in the market.

[TVNewsLover 730]

I believe that NBC is in the Bay Area is on different channels, depending on the cable/sat providers- hence NBC Bay Area

 

NBC 60--Boston

NBC 30-- Connecticut

NBC 39-- San Diego

Doesn't sound as sexy. With the exception of KNSD (which used NBC San Diego for about 6 months), they're the only one that ended up branding with their cable channel- then again, it's on channel 7 on every cable/sat system in the market.

Why is KNTV on different cable channels? I know for a while it was branded as NBC3 because it was on cable channel 3 on most cable systems, but that caused confusion to most viewers because it's number was 11. Why don't the cable systems in that area move the station to cable channel 11? I understand the undesirability of high channel numbers, but 11 is not a high number!